First minister Mark Drakeford will meet his cabinet tomorrow to plan the next stage of the exit from lockdown - with pressure growing from across various sectors to start setting reopening dates.
From restaurants to retail, from salons and estate agents to ski slopes, businesses are demanding to be given a roadmap to reopening the economy - with the hope Friday’s press conference will provide some initial directions.
For retail it is widely expected that Wales will allow non-essential stores to open shortly - with Monday the most likely start date.
But pressure is there for more information on sectors like tourism, hospitality and hair and beauty so they can start to prepare to open their doors.
Welsh Government’s approach has been deliberately cautious over concerns about triggered a second wave of infections but firms are warning now that a failure to open up the economy will cause mass redundancies and businesses going bust.
The Welsh Retail Consortium has its fingers crossed for a green light for shops after non-essential stores in England opened on Monday.
Sara Jones, head of the Welsh Retail Consortium, said: “Retailers of all sizes and formats are investing significantly to implement physical distancing and hygiene measures to protect customers and staff, putting themselves in the best possible position to operate safely once the Welsh Government permits trading again.”
Mike Learmond, North Wales Senior Development Manager, said: “Firms can use this week to prepare, and observe England reopening non-essential stores as a trial-run.
"What works well in England this week, and what doesn’t, can be used to make Wales’ reopening even more safe and successful.
"However, if businesses hear on Friday that they are still unable to reopen, we will have to think very carefully and have an urgent discussion with Welsh Government about how government funding will need to be utilised to prevent firms from being disadvantaged.”
The hair and beauty industry - which employs 15,000 workers in Wales - has written to Mr Drakeford asking for a “clear roadmap” to opening.
Jim Jones, from North Wales Tourism, had this wish list for Friday.
■ Confirm a re-opening date, or dates, for hospitality and tourism, to allow businesses to prepare for a return to trading.
■ Reduce the 2m distancing rule to give our business some hope in trying to salvage what’s left of the season.
■ Get rid of the 5 mile travel restriction. It’s an arbitrary rule anyway.
■ Finally, be open and transparent and if for whatever reason you cannot implement any of these, show us the science and the sources of information to explain why.
Speaking on behalf of the collective of Welsh Independent Restaurants, Bryn Williams of ‘Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias’ in Colwyn Bay, said: “This is a critical time for our local restaurants, cafes, pubs and catering businesses. We need absolute clarity from the Welsh Government on the timescales for reopening so that we are able to plan and make decisions.
"We are calling on the First Minister to work with us to develop sector specific support, otherwise we risk seeing the complete loss of small, independent Welsh businesses from our local high streets with only large, global chains surviving.”
